United Downs Raceway - Sunday 8th March 2009

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

28 Formula Two Stock Cars featured in the first westcountry fixture of the new national season, at St Day, with each of the day's five races serving up a different race winner.
The first to claim a chequered flag was 38 David Polley.  Like heat one, the second heat was also held on a damp circuit, and that certainly suited wet weather expert 707 Jeremy Moss, who sped to a convincing win.  The consolation race included a fine battle between 116 Ashley Rundle and newcomer 783 James Rygor, but it was comeback racer 430 Simon Edwards who took the chequered flag.  Five years on from his sensational debut appearance, Edwards made his first racing appearance since the 2007 season.
On offer on the feature final was the annual trophy of meeting sponsors, Tyrone Snell Trailers of Longdowns.  The huge trophy, is a magnificent piece of auto-sculpture, which Tyrone Snell himself constructed, two years ago, using many components found in the engine of a modern day Stock Car.
Ashley Rundle again made the early running, and he was still at the head of the field when the race was suspended with Rygor having spun on the back straight.  That bunched up the field, but a messy restart saw Polley and Edwards tangle, and they clobbered the pit bend fence very hard.  When the race recommenced, 832 Kane Moore made a successful challenge for the lead, but veteran star Bill Batten was scything a path to the front.  In his haste to take the lead, Batten sent Moore scuttling around the pit bend fence, and that did give 105 Ross Rowe a glimpse of a chance to close on Batten, but the experienced ace saw out the closing stages, to win the final, just as he had predicted he would do, on the eve of the new season.
812 Scott Williams took the end of meeting Grand National, to conclude a fine first meeting of the year.  With many more south west drivers about to join the fray in the coming weeks, the signs are encouraging for a lively and competitive season. 

National Bangers - St Piran Team Championship

In the St Piran Team Championship for National Bangers, the Renegades ran riot.  With nine Renegades drivers spread across three teams, numbers were heavily weighted in their favour.  What a shame some other teams did not show the same sort of commitment to an event that carried significantly enhanced prize money.
However, there was spirited resistance from the Team 47 duo of 147 Phil Purdy and reigning Cornish Champion 479 Jamie Jenkin, whilst the six-strong showing from Team Toilet, raised many smiles with their fun slogans and happy-go-lucky approach to the day.
World Champion 66 Dave Spooner took the opening heat, to help give Renegades A the early lead, and when team mate 452 Anthony Sleeman won heat two, there really was only going to be one winning team.  383 Andre McLellan and 406 Chris Bridger chipped in with some valuable points, to ensure Renegades A won convincingly.
The end of meeting Destruction Derby was particularly brutal, and concluded with three Renegades drivers setting about one another.  Spooner even had to attack his teenage son, 99 David Spooner , and at one stage the sixteen year old young gun was sandwiched between his father, and Sleeman.  Ultimately, it was Dave Spooner who took the honours to round off a lively day from the National Bangers.

Ministox

954 Hannah Sear scored the first race win of her brief racing career, as she won heat two, and the final, during the three events for the youngsters in the Ministox.
961 Gary Sillifant was the other race winner, as the star graded drivers once again failed to make much impression on the runaway low graders who made the most of starting at the front of the grid.